Glass cutter having means to retain cutter in an inoperative position



Jan. 12, 1965 3,165,018

J. J. BRAND GLASS CUTTER HAVING MEANS T0 RETAIN CUTTER IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION Filed Feb. 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. .14) J. BRA/VD Arromvzr Jan. 12, 1965 IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5. 1962 l llllll J. J. BRAND GLASS CUTTER HAVING MEANS TO RETAIN CUTTER IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION Jan. 12, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 5, 1962 mam wJ 4 i w 2 V. B mm United States Patent Office aieaeie 3,165,018 GLASS CUTTER HAVTNG MEANS T 1) RETAIN CUTTER IN AN INUPERA'IIVE FGSITIQN Jay .1. Brand, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Fiied Feb. 5, 1%2, Ser. No. 171,116 fliaims. (CI. 8311) This invention relates to a glass cuttingapparatus and more specifically to an assembly for cutting or scoring a glass sheet.

A cutting assembly is provided which is particularly well suited for operation in a movabie bridge of cutters of the type disclosed and clairner in my co-pending application Serial No. 11,261 filed February 26, 1960 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, of which this case is a divisional application, and wherein a plurality of cutter assemblies of the present invention are mounted on a bridge member which is transverse to the glass sheet to be cut.

In accordance with my invention, a cutter assembly is provided having a cutter wheel mounted on a plunger adapted for vertical movement between raised and lowered positions. An arm is provided for raising said plunger and means are provided to retain said plunger in its raised position. Means are also provided to prevent said retaining means from actually entering into its retaining position. I

This invention will be better understood from the description which follows of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus taken along with the drawings in which similar parts are generally designated for the same numeral and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of a cutter assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken along line 2 -2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of the cutter assembly of the present invention shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the upper portionof a cutter assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of a lower portion of a cutter assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section taken along the lines 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross section taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 5.

With reference to the drawings, and particularly FIG- URE 1, mounted on the web of a channel iron 16 of a cutting bridge (not shown), which is transverse to the glass sheet to be cut, is a plate 12 that extends substantially the entire length of channel iron 10. A cutter assembly 14 of the present invention has a back plate 16. The plate 16 has at its upper portion a number of apertures 18 that are in a vertical row. By connecting the ear 20 of bar 22 to one of the apertures 18 of back plate 16, the cutter assembly 14 can be aligned horizontally at a different position along plate 12 by adjustment of bar 22.

The lower portion of back plate 16 has a recessed portion which abutts plate 12. The top edge of plate 12 and the opposing top horizontal edge of the recessed portion of back plate 16 are inclined with respect to each other to receive a wedge 24 between their surfaces. The wedge 24 has an aperture through which extends a bolt 26 which is threaded into plate 16. The bolt 26 has a shoulder 28 which moves wedge 24 towards the inclined surfaces, so

that, when bolt 26 is tightened, wedge 24 is held tight against plate 12 and back plate 16.

The recess in plate 16 results in a bottom flange having vertical threaded apertures in which are placed screws 30.

A stop or gib 32 is placed between screws 36 and the bottom edge of plate 12 which is inclined as is the top surface of gib 32. The gib 32 is bolted to back plate 16.

Thus, gib 32, which prevents any tilting action of cutter assembly 14, insures vertical alignment of the latter.

The cutter assembly 14 has a plunger 34. The bottom end of plunger 34 is welded to a spring clamp support screw 44 is. threaded horizontally in the top portion of yoke 38.

A cutter holder arm 46 is fixed on pin 40 by a set screw 48. The arm 46 extends between the bifurcated arms of yoke 38. A spring 50 is connected to one end of arm 46. A turret cutter holder 52 is mounted on the other end of arm 46 by a pin 54 which is threaded in arm 46. Between the nob S6 of pin 54 and turret holder 52 is a spring 58 that abutts the nob 56 and a washer 60.

The turret holder 52 has a number of peripheral grooves in which are mounted glass cutter wheels 62 in a conventional manner with spring clips (not shown). The turret holder 52 has a number of apertures 64 which are arranged in a circle about the axis of pin 54. A pin 66 is mounted on cutter arm 46 in a position so that it extends into one of the apertures 64. Thus, an operator can easily move turret holder 52 away from arm 46 to permit rotation of cutter heads 62 and then when turret holder 52 is released spring 58 will force it against arm 46. Of course, this is done when another one of apertures 64 is in alignment with pin 66. This positions a different cutter wheel 62 to score the glass sheet when cutter assembly 14 is lowered onto the glass to be cut.

The spring 50 is connected at its other end to a clamp 68 connected by bolt 76 to a spring adjuster block 72 bolted to the top end of spring clamp support 36 at its top end. Thus, spring adjuster block 72 moves up and down with plunger 34. The spring 511 biases turret 52 downwardly. This downward force is limited by tab 74 on arm 46 abutting limit screw 44 mounted in'yoke 38.

In addition to pin 66, one end of arm 46 has a pin '7 6 extending from the opposite vertical face of arm 46. A lifting bar 78 has at its top end a bifurcated horizontal flange 80 which is joined by a connecting bar 82 to a shaft 84 of a solenoid 86.

The lifting bar 78 has its main vertical portion sliding between a guide 83 and a guide cover plate 91) which are bolted to a housing member 82 through a housing member Q4. The housing members 92 and 94 enclose the central portion of plunger 34 and provide a vertical aperture which corresponds in cross section to the central portion of plunger 34 which has four vertical ribs equally spaced from one another. The housing member 94 is also bolted to housing member 92 which is bolted to plate 16.

The solenoid 86 is mounted on plate 96. A clamp block 98 (FIGURE 1) pivotally supports plate 96 by bolt 160. The clamp block 98 is mounted on one vertical side of plate 16. A clamp block 101 (FIGURE 5) is bolted on the other vertical edge of plate 16. A wing bolt 163 extends through a notch 1115 in plate 96 and into block 161. The wing bolt 103 holds plate 96 against clamp block 101. By loosening wing bolt 163 plate 96 can be pivoted about bolt 166 to swing solenoid 86 out of the way after its shaft 84 is disconnected from bar 82. The solenoid 86 can be disconnected from plate 96 and replaced by another solenoid. Then plate 6 is pivoted to the'position where its shaft 84 is connected to bar 82. The wing bolt 163 is then tightened.

The top end of plunger 34 is threaded into a yoke block 107 which has a horizontal aperture in alignment with the apertures in the bottom bifurcated ends of plunger Patented Jan. 12, 1965 supports the adjusting screw block 121.

plate 16 with plunger yoke res between them.

"71 t i i '43 yoke it for receiving a connecting bar ill. The shaft of bar 111 has a peripheral groove which is engaged by the end or" a spring plunger lid mounted in yoke block Hi7. By this construction, plunger, 34 is connected to plunger yoke 1 but is'readily disconnected from yoke "169 by pulling on plunger 113.

The top of plunger yoke 199 has a vertical aperture in which is threaded an adjusting screw 115 which can be fixed by a nut ."ll'l. The shank of adjusting screw 115 has a peripheral groove 119 adjacent its head so that screw With this construction the block 121 is adjustably fixed in position between bifurcated arms of plunger yokeltli Plates 123 and 125 are bolted on the ver'ical sides of v The plates 123 and 125 have aligned apertures to receive a pin 12? between 7 ing arm 129 wlu'ch is bifurcated at its top end to support a roller 131. Each of the bifurcated ends of arm 12% has connected wit a spring The other ends of spring 133 are connected to plates 123 and 3.25 Thus, roller 13 is spring biased towards a' roller block 135 mounted onthe' top portion of plunger yoke 1%. The retaining armi29 pivotally supports a screw 137 (FIGURE 6) which is threadedinto a switch 139which has an arm 14-1 on which is mounted a handle A spring plunger 1 .5 is mounted on switch 139. The retaining arm 12? has two recesses which are disposed in an are about the pivot axis of screw 137. The spring plunger 34d retains switch 139m one of two positions depending upon the recess of retaining arm 125 in which spring plunger is positioned. The plunger 145' is moved out or" this position and switch 13% pivoted'to the other position by moverne t of arm 1%.

The switch 139 has an inclined surface 3th; so that as switch 139 is pivoted the inclined'cam surface 1. 57 moves along an edge of plate 123. As a result, in one pivotal position of switch 139 retaining arm E29 is in the position shown in FIGURE 1 and in full lines in FlGURE 4, whereas in the other pivotal position of switch 159 (shown in phantom in FIGURE 4 and in full lines in FIGURE 6) spring 133 moves retaining arm 329 to position roller 1.31 below roller block 135. In the latter position roller lE-l prevents lowering of block 135 and thus prevents lowering of plunger yoke H99.

A roller 149 below block 121 is rotataoly mounted on a pin 15} mounted on a bifurcated end of lifting arm 1515. The arm 153 is mounted on square shait 1 .55 for pivot with rotation of shaft 155'. The plates '23 and 13.25 support roller bearings 157 which abut plunger yoke M9. The plunger 34 is biased downwardly by a spring 159 cuclosed within guide housing )2 and 94.

Shaft 155 is rotated counter-clockwise (as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 6) as the cutter assembly is moved into cutting position over the glass sheet to be scored by movement or the bridge assembly, as described in the parent application Serial No. 11,261. Rotation of square shaft 155 counter-clockwise lowers roller 14? so that block 121, plunger yoke N9 and plunger 34 are lowered, thereby lowering cutter wheel s2 onto the glass sheet and into scoring position. This occurs so long as roller 131 is not directly below block 135. However, when roller 133i is directly below block 135 with switch 13? in the position shown in FIGURE 6, the lowering or" cutter wheel 62 is prevented. An operator may determine which of above described cutter assemblies 14- in a cutter bridge arrangement are to be used for a scorin. operation on a glass sheet by a proper positioning of switch 139. When an operator wishes to cancel, for an individual scoring operation, a cutter assembly 14, solenoid 3% of the cutter assembly 14 to be cancelled from operation is energized by closing an electrical circuit (not shown). The energizaiion of this solenoid 86 lifts shaft 84 thereby lifting arm '78, so that, when square shaft 155 is rotated to lower plunger 34, pin 76 is lowered into abutment with raised them. The pin 12? pivotally supports a retainarm 7 arm preven s f her o.. mg of turret cutter 5?. the end oi: arrn on which turret cutter 52 is mounted. Then arm 4-6 pivots about pin prevents cutter wheel 62 from the glass sl This is a temporary means for keeping a particular cutter assembly from en '"ung in a sco 'ng operation. When it is desired to prewnt a partictnar cutter assembly 1 1 from being used in a series of scoring operations, is preferable to pivot switch 139 to the position s own in FZGURE 6 rather than rely upon continued energization 3-6 of that cutter assembly of solenoid Various modifications of the apparatus will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the description of the preferred embodiment presented above and in the drawings. Thus, the invention is not to be limited by this description but only the claims that follow.

l claim:

1. A cutter assembly comprising a support structure; a vertically oriented plunger mounted for movement on said support structure between a raised and lowered position; a cutter wheel mounted adjacent the lower portion of said plunger; means, including a lifting arm operatively a sociated with said plunger and movable between upper and lower position, for lifting sa d plunger to its raised position; means mounting said lilting arm for movement between said upper and lower position; means, including a selectively actuated retaining arm on said support structure, for retaining said vertically oriented plunger in its raised position independently of said lifting arm; switch means operatively associated with said retaining arm and movable to a position for preventing said retaining arm from restraining said plunger in its raised position; and means associated with said switch means for retaining said switch means in said position.

2. A cutter assembly which comprises a cutter wheel, a support plate, a guide housing, a plunger having a hole in its upper portion. said guide housing and plunger being constructed and arranged to provide vertical movement only 0i said plunger between lowered and raised positions, said cutter wheel being mounted on the bottom part of said plunger, a lifting arm extending into said hole for raising said plunger by pivotal movement of said lifting arm, means mounting said lifting arm for pivotal movement, a block mounted on the top part of said plunger and having a downwardly facing cam surface, a retaining arm, means for pivotally mounting said retaining arm on the support plate for movement between a first position in which an end of said retaining arm is vertical plane other than one through said block and a second position in which said end is below said block, means urging said retaining arm toward the second position and means to restrain said retaining arm in the first position.

3. The cutter assembly of claim 2 wherein said cutter wheel is rotatably mounted on said plunger by a cutter arm mounted on the bottom part of said plunger for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis and said cutter wheel is rotatably mounted on said cutter arm and wherein said cutter assembly includes a second lifting arm. a housing mounted on the support plate to guide said second lifting arm, means to raise said second lifting arm from a first position spaced below said cutter arm and a second position lifting said cutter arm when said plunger is at said lowered position.

4. A cutter assembly which comprises a cutter wheel, a support plate, a guide housing. a plunger ing a hole in its upper portion, said guide housing ar nger being constructed and arranged to provide vertical movement only of said plunger between lowered and ra sed positions, said cutter wheel being mounted on the .30.. .11 part of said plunger for rotation about a horizontal axis, a lifting arm having a roller mounted on its free end and extending into said hole for raising said plunger by pivotal movement of said lifting arm, means mounting said lifting arm for pivotal movement, a block mounted on the top part of said plunger and having a downwardly facing cam surface, a retaining arm having a roller journaled at one end, means for pivotally mounting said retaining arm on the support plate for movement between a first position in which said retaining roller is in a vertical plane other than one through said block and a second position in which said retaining roller is below said block, means urging said retaining arm toward the second position and means to restrain said retaining arm in the first position.

5. The cutter assembly of claim 4 wherein said cutter wheel is rotatably mounted on said plunger by a cutter arm mounted on the bottom part of said plunger for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis and said cutter wheel is rotatably mounted on said cutter arm and wherein said cutter assembly includes a second lifting arm, a housing mounted on the support plate to guide said second lifting arm, means to raise said second lifting arm from a first position spaced below said cutter arm and a second position lifting said cutter arm when said plungeris at said lowered position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CUTTER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SUPPORT STRUCTURE; A VERTICALLY ORIENTED PLUNGER MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE BETWEEN A RAISED AND LOWERED POSITION; A CUTTER WHEEL MOUNTED ADJACENT THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID PLUNGER; MEANS, INCLUDING A LIFTING ARM OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PLUNGER AND MOVABLE BETWEEN AN UPPER AND LOWER POSITION, FOR LIFTING SAID PLUNGER TO ITS RAISED POSITION; MEANS MOUNTING SAID LIFTING ARM FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER POSITION; MEANS, INCLUDING A SELECTIVELY ACTUATED RETAINING ARM ON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE, FOR RETAINING SAID VERTICALLY ORIENTED PLUNGER IN ITS RAISED POSITION INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID LIFTING ARM; SWITCH MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID RETAINING ARM AND MOVABLE TO A POSITION FOR PREVENTING SAID RETAINING ARM FROM RESTRAINING SAID PLUNGER IN ITS RAISED POSITION; AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SWITCH MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID SWITCH MEANS IN SAID POSITION. 